NHL Award Winners List and Discussion Part 1: Nikita Kucherov, Aleksander Barkov and More

On Thursday, June 12, just ahead of game four of the Stanley Cup finals between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers, all of the NHL awards were ‘officially' announced.

Some of these awards were known ahead of time, but in some surprise moments caught on film, every award was announced, with recipient names engraved on each trophy and awarded in person and stitched together in a volley of clips from the past several weeks.

Let's break down the first batch of each of these awards in this two-part series with a brief summary of what they mean, who won, and how that player did this season.

I know it's been a while since our last hockey article, so without further ado!

Ted Lindsay Award - Nikita Kucherov

This award is for the best player as voted by the players. Especially meaningful as these aren't hockey executives or the media making this selection - it is the player's peers.

Kucherov won this award, and it is no surprise. Year after year, he has been an absolute force on the ice and is seemingly unstoppable.

Kucherov had 37 goals, 87 assists, and 46 powerplay points as a forward in 78 games played. He also had 265 shots on goal, 23 hits, and 33 blocked shots.

Calder Memorial Trophy - Lane Hutson

The Calder is for the player who was the best rookie. I correctly called this winner some months ago, and couldn't be happier for him. Look out for the Montreal Canadiens in the next few seasons as the young talent, including Hutson, is ready to take the next step. Having a solidified blueliner of the future of this caliber is huge for the franchise.

Hutson had six goals, 60 assists, and 26 powerplay points as a defenseman in all 82 games played. He also had 91 shots on goal, 40 hits, and 123 blocked shots.

For a quick dynasty or keepers fantasy outlook; I would be putting Hutson on my keeper or must draft list as his longevity for your team and the long-term value you will get out of him comes without saying. Grab him before it's too late!

Frank J. Selke Trophy - Aleksander Barkov

The Selke is for the best defensive player. Given the season the Panthers had this year, without that typical Stanley Cup winning hangover, this pick is not a surprise either. The captain of the defending champion certainly plays a full 200-foot game, and doesn't bat an eye at backchecking first.

Barkov had 20 goals, 51 assists, and 28 powerplay points as a forward in 67 games played. He also had 149 shots on goal, 87 hits, and 54 blocked shots.

William M. Jennings Award - Connor Hellebuyck

A goaltender specific award, the William M. Jennings goes to the goaltender with the fewest goals against with a minimum of 25 games played against. Hellebuyck won this for the second straight year to nobody's surprise. A quick reminder that this is for the regular season, and nobody can deny his unstoppable regular season this year.

Hellebuyck had 47 wins in 62 starts as a goaltender. He also had a .925 save percentage, a 2.00 goals against average, and an impressive eight shutouts.

King Clancy Memorial Award - Aleksander Barkov

This award goes to the player who exemplifies leadership both on and off the ice. Barkov picked this up as his second award of the year, and as I just said, this is no surprise either given the Cats' year and not having  the defending champion hangover. Often times, dynasty runs aside, after a club wins Lord Stanley they fall off a cliff and are unable to keep the level of compete it took the previous year.

Panthers' captain Barkov kept his team motivated and did not let his or any of his teammates' foot off the gas and this is evident through the postseason as they battle the Edmonton Oilers in a rematch of last year's Stanley Cup final and have the potential to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. You could not ask for a better leader, especially one who is not the biggest personality on the team.

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy - Sean Monahan

I'm not crying, you are.

The Bill Masterton goes to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. This was an obvious choice, and if Monahan didn't win I would have been mad. Not just me, but a lot of people, I think.

After the passing of Johnny Gaudreau, there is no question how difficult this season must have been for his best friend. In a really touching surprise by the league, they had Johnny's wife, Meredith Gaudreau, show up at Monahan's house and give him the Masterton in person. Monahan's wife had him dress up in a white lie that had them taking “family pictures” that day, as she was in on the setup.

An absolutely beautiful moment for the trio, with lots of tears shed and none more deserving of this powerful recognition.

Monahan had 19 goals, 38 assists, and 14 powerplay points as a forward in 54 games played. He also had 128 shots on goal, 30 hits, and 34 blocked shots.

Another note on this, is the incredible season that the Blue Jackets had as a whole. They definitely exceeded expectations and one has to wonder if their season was driven by the memory of ‘Johnny Hockey'.